Anmore Community Hub

A place to work, gather and celebrate.

Anmore’s new Community Hub is designed to provide administration space for Village staff, a large Council Chambers that features plenty of room for seating along with technology to provide high quality audio and video for live-streaming meetings, and a community gathering space for local events and community group activities.

Please note, our Village Hall staff are now available to assist you during business hours at the Hub as of January 8, 2024. We also wanted to let everyone know that there will be opportunities for renting the community areas for events and other activities in the future. We are still in the process of developing policies and procedures required for renting out a facility before we can open the doors for public use, but this will be a priority in the coming months. We will update as soon as we have the details confirmed and appreciate your patience in the meantime.
 

The building features:

  • A Council Chambers/community room that can also support a Reception Centre in an emergency evacuation
  • Village administration offices, including staff workspaces, meeting rooms and reception
  • A welcoming entrance plaza that will feature historical Anmore photos and memorabilia
  • Dedicated area for a concession during Village events and future potential commercial space in the basement
  • Accessible public washrooms that can also be used when the Village hosts outdoor events at Spirit Park
  • An expanse of windows with views of Spirit Park

To view the architectural designs, click click here.

To view the news release for the ground-breaking event, click here.

Anmore Community Hub – Building our Future Video

Click this link to view the video now.

We are excited to share this video to document the construction of the Anmore Community Hub – the first purpose-built civic building in our community.

As part of celebrating this milestone project for our community, we are documenting the steps leading up to the approval of the Hub construction and celebrating together at various stages, such as the ground-breaking event we held last year. One of the ways we have documented this momentous occasion for our village is through a video that highlights some of the history of our past Village Halls and the steps we took to plan for and create a building where we will be able to work, gather and celebrate.

Special thanks go to Bruce Hitchen, an Anmore resident who filmed and produced the video for us, as well as the Anmore residents who took the time to share their thoughts on the project: Darren Smurthwaite and Gina Campbell.

Responsible Budget Management

Approved budget for construction: $8.5 million (including risk register)

With the Integrated Project Delivery approach to re-design the building, construction of the Hub is still estimated at just under $8 million. Council also approved a $500,000 risk register to address the continued unpredictability of the construction market and inflation. A risk register is only used if needed, and the project cost cannot exceed $8.5 million, even if it impacts the contractor’s profit margin.

The funding for the Hub includes the following:

  • $2.5 million Investing in Canada Infrastructure grant
  • $1,620,000 million from capital reserves
  • $1,255,000 in developer contributions (Community Amenity Contributions)
  • $125,000 in secured provincial grants
  • $2.5 million in a long-term loan through the Municipal Finance Authority

The Village made the decision to finance a part of the Hub to spread the costs over a longer period so that future residents who will benefit from the facility will also help pay for it.

To view the news release for the $2.5 million Investing in Canada Infrastructure grant, click here.

Adjusting to Construction Market Cost Increases

From the beginning, Council committed to sticking to the budget for the construction of the project. Some of the initial work to gain insight into actual costs included completing a value engineering process, which involved working with architects, structural engineers and other experts in construction to review the design in the context of the construction market at the time. Some initial design adjustments were made prior to the bid process to keep within the approved budget.

During the bid process, it became clear that the pandemic had resulted in unprecedented increases in construction costs as the bids came in at significantly higher than estimated in the value engineering process.  The Village quickly pivoted to adapt to the new environment and made a number of changes, including switching to an Integrated Project Delivery model with a new team to review options to keep costs down.

As part of ensuring the project adheres to the approved construction budget, a few adjustments were made to the design of the building while maintaining its full functionality. The following are some of the key design changes:

  • The design of the building exterior is very similar to the original drawings so that it complements the surrounding area; however, some elements including structural, mechanical and electrical have been modified and features like the roof, cladding, and glazing elements have been simplified.
  • Skylights were removed
  • The acoustic partition in the community was removed, with a design to allow for a future addition of the partition
  • The scope for the landscaping and irrigation was reduced
  • While the deck has been removed for now, the structure will allow for it to be added in future.
  • On the inside of the building, the overall space has been reduced by approximately 3,000 square feet – the majority of this was achieved by removing the future expansion space in the basement, as well as reducing space in the community room.
  • To help “future proof” the building, the design will allow for future expansion to the main floor instead.

Integrated Project Delivery Model

The Village also shifted to an Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) model. This model involves a commitment to deliver the project at the agreed-upon budget – even if higher costs reduce the contractor’s profit margin.

Project Partners:

  • Village of Anmore
  • Krahn Group of Companies
  • Jacob Bros. Construction Inc.
  • ARC Projects Ltd.
  • ISL Engineering and Land Services Ltd.

The project team shares a commitment to the following guiding values:

  • Trust & Respect
  • Collaboration
  • Embrace the Process
  • Diversity
  • Functionality & Fit

To view the project team’s guiding values, click HERE.

To view the full project validation report, click HERE.

For more information about initial planning and community engagement for the Hub, please click HERE.